The University Library System, University of Pittsburgh: How & Why We Publish

The University Library System (ULS), University of Pittsburgh began its e-journal publishing program in 2007 and in five years has quickly grown to publish 34 peer-reviewed scholarly research journals. In this chapter, we will describe the rationale for and the genesis of this program to publish new original content, explain how the program evolved, and give insight into what direction it is likely to take in the future. The ULS has built an extensive digital publishing program over the past two decades. Beginning with digitization projects to reformat the ULS’ unique collections, the program now includes well over 100,000 digital objects in over 100 thematic digital collections including photographs, manuscripts, maps, books, journal articles, electronic theses and dissertations, government documents, and other gray literature such as working papers, white papers, and technical reports. The development of the ULS publishing program was driven by a strong and enduring institutional commitment to Open Access to scholarly information. The organization has placed strategic emphasis on leadership in transforming the patterns of scholarly communication and supporting researchers not only in discovering and accessing scholarly information, but in the production and sharing of new knowledge and the creation of original scholarly research. In pursuit of these goals, the ULS has developed a suite of specific tools and techniques to build a highly cost-efficient e-journal publishing program. The ULS provides its publishing partners with a hardware and software platform and associated electronic publishing services using the open source Open Journal Systems (OJS) software developed by the Public Knowledge Project. This platform allows for richly customizable management of all stages of editorial workflow. In addition, OJS sports a number of reader tools to enhance content discovery and use, including multilingual support for both online interfaces and content in many languages, persistent URLs, RSS feeds, tools for bookmarking and sharing articles through social networking sites, full-text searching, and compliance with the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting. Additional services offered by the ULS include consultation on editorial workflow management, software configuration, graphic design services, initial training, online usage statistics, review of all new published issues for metadata quality, and ongoing systems support. The ULS also provides ISSN registration, assigns DOIs, and assists in promotional efforts to establish the journal. Digital preservation is facilitated through LOCKSS. Steps to start up a new scholarly journal are covered. We will also describe common pitfalls to avoid and techniques that help with clear communications and management of mutual expectations between publisher and publishing partners. Quality control is discussed, including careful selection of partners, conducting peer reviews, maintaining academic quality, advising on publishing best practices, and measuring impact. With each passing year and each acquisitions budget cycle, research libraries have more to gain by becoming publishers. By publishing new Open Access content, libraries can not only help meet the most fundamental needs of the researchers they support, but they can simultaneously help transform today’s inflationary cost model for serials. The publication model described in this paper can serve as a guide for libraries wishing to implement similar programs

Standardised library instruction assessment: an institution-specific approach

Introduction We explore the use of a psychometric model for locally-relevant, information literacy assessment, using an online tool for standardised assessment of student learning during discipline-based library instruction sessions. Method A quantitative approach to data collection and analysis was used, employing standardised multiple-choice survey questions followed by individual, cognitive interviews with undergraduate students. The assessment tool was administered to five general education psychology classes during library instruction sessions. AnalysisDescriptive statistics were generated by the assessment tool. Results. The assessment tool proved a feasible means of measuring student learning. While student scores improved on every survey question, there was uneven improvement from pre-test to post-test for different questions. Conclusion Student scores showed more improvement for some learning outcomes over others, thus, spending time on fewer concepts during instruction sessions would enable more reliable evaluation of student learning. We recommend using digital learning objects that address basic research skills to enhance library instruction programmes. Future studies will explore different applications of the assessment tool, provide more detailed statistical analysis of the data and shed additional light on the significance of overall scores

Information Outlook, April 2007

Volume 11, Issue 4https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_io_2007/1003/thumbnail.jp

DeWitt Wallace Library Annual Report 2016-2017

Summary of library and media services activities for 2016-201

Performance Measurement for Digital Library Services

Aim of this literature review is to draw a picture of past and current research on performance measurement, as applies to digital library services and, at large, to the digital environment, thus consisted of electronic information services and resources. The review starts with a statement of the topic and a tentative definition of digital library to be used as a comparing model for any attempt to measure its performance. A virtuous cycle of good library management puts users and the provision of quality services to the core of its values. Performance measurement supports this process. Assessment for digital library services is outlined in terms of use, services provided, costs, management tools, added value against the mission and goals of the institution. In the last decade, novelties brought about by the introduction of digital technologies in libraries have caused efforts converge to devise both new objective models of statistical data gathering and sets of sound reliable measures and indicators, apt to gauge performance. Breaking fresh ground has proved not to be an easy task: lack of consistency, of comparable data, and standards, due to the evolutionary state of the matter, have given birth to a number of initiatives and projects, mainly in the United States and the United Kingdom, which are still looking for common grounds of development. Testing is in progress and crucial to get evidence of appropriateness, reliability and comparability of performance indicators. At the same time, a number of researchers are looking beyond mere measurement of use of and access, considered too limitative and moving forward to think out new evaluation techniques and a comprehensive view of the digital library. The issue of impact and outcome assessment, in terms of benefits or changes in knowledge, behaviours and attitudes, users can derive from services and resources with potential long-term effects, is the new frontier

Purchasing E-books: Considerations and Models for the Smaller Academic Library

There are many decisions to consider when acquiring e-books for the small academic library. This article lists some preparatory questions to be settled regarding format, vendor, and type of acquisition, and describes the main purchase models currently being used to acquire e-books. Cataloging issues are also discussed

Online television library: organization and content browsing for general users

This paper describes the organisational and playback features of Físchlár, a digital video library that allows users to record, browse and watch television programmes online. Programmes that can be watched and recorded are organised by personal recommendations, genre classifications, name and other attributes for access by general television users. Motivations and interactions of users with online television libraries are outlined and they are also supported by personalised library access, categorised programmes, a combined player browser with content viewing history and content marks. The combined player browser supports a user who watches a programme on different occasions in a non-sequential order